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Softswitch

Softswitches
are carrier-class servers that control voice phone calls across
circuit- and packet-switched networks, which promise to support
intriguing new services by dint of their open application programming
interfaces for service software. The attraction softswitches hold is
that they cost about a tenth of regular local phone switches, take up
much less space, and have open APIs that enable third-party vendors to
write complex services the switches control. They also enable
completion of calls between circuit-switched and packet networks,
enabling carriers to use a single packet backbone for voice and data
traffic.

Switching lies at the core
of all telecommunications networks, allowing efficient point-to-point
communications without direct connections between every node. The
Softswitch is a new software-based switching solution that runs on
standard hardware to supplement or replace central office switching
functions. Softswitches execute the same functions as traditional
switches and are completely transparent to end-users.
Telecommunications companies are embracing softswiches because they are
functionally equivalent to conventional phone switches, only better,
faster, and cheaper.

One characteristic of
Softswitches is their open architecture, which provides great
flexibility for carriers to develop custom solutions based on
best-of-breed hardware and software components. Softswitches also tend
to be modular, smaller, and less expensive than their conventional
switching counterparts. This modularity makes scaling easy, critical
when telephony markets and technologies can change overnight. As with
conventional switches, high availability and reliability remain the top
priority. Softswitches must also maintain compatibility with PSTN
networks (Public Switching Telephone Network) and compliance with
switching standards.

Softswitches provide
several advantages over traditional switching alternatives. They reduce
the cost of providing service by using less expensive IP networks. They
allow carriers to differentiate their offerings through value-added
services, often by simply adding a new server that delivers the desired
functionality. Softswitches also allow telecommunications companies to
leverage their existing investment in switching, preserve
interoperability with PSTN networks, and assure a smooth transition to
packet-based IP technology.